San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-07

| Now let San Antonio De reused INTO ac-
tion on refrigerating enterprise by con-
sidering what Houston is doing In that
direction. The influence Of public spirit
like the gospel tidIngs should have free
course.
Best Portion of Mans Life"
Editor LIGHT:
1.-The best portion OF a good mans
| life, his little nameless, unremembered
acts of kindness and of love."-Words-
worth.
1t is not my purpose to discuss this
| question from the standpoint of religion;
though il must he admitted even by the
most confirmed sceptic, that no person
can be damaged in health, or happiness
| in this life, by living up to the creed OF
| Christ. What does that creed enjOin !?
Temperance, honesty, truthfulness,
patience, cheerfulness, forgiveness OF in
| iuries, love to our neighbOr, benevolence
and charity, against these there is no
law" These would all conduoe to
health, longevity, OOnteDtment and pros
| perity even in the present life, even
should the Bible be proven to be the Off
| spring of human wit and invention,
hence. the christian religion, If il be
| lived up to, In sincerity and TRUTH"
cannot possibly injure men in this earth
| Iy life, a reflection Of no small import
ance to thinking men and women.
Sir Walter Scott, in his dying hours,
said to his daughter, "When we come
TO die. we never think of the great
things we have done, or the good others
have done to us, but of the good we have
done to Others" and in this, his expert
ence accorded with that OF Wordsworth.
tine best OF a good mans life" consists
in whatf His overlooking golfers, his
| luxurious food, sumptuOus apparel,
costly furniture, silverware, broad acres.
| palatial residences and his worldly
honors? No. There is no good in these
things, considered by themselves. The
best portion OF the good mans life, con-
sists In his little nameless. unremember-
| ed acts of kindness and love done on the
| spur of the moment, from a sudden in
SEPARATION, possibly, and without the
least tincture Of selflshness. Ii is sad to
| reflect that hundreds and thousands of
men and women go through life encased
| in the thick folds of an unthawsble self
ishness and with no thought of doing
"acts of kindness and love" Tney sim
| ply live for themselves. What is
stranger than all else beside. is the fact,
that this seltshness, this calousness and
insensibility is mostly met with among
those who are placed far above want and
who are able to do FACTS of kindness and
love" with liberal hand without being
| thereby pinched and cramped.
But. a few days ago, man of worth
and of good character, well known in
the city, in fiji of despair, and goaded
by demands of creditors that he could
| not salty, put an end 10 his life.
would speak teDderly of him and only
refer to him to show the utility and the
bltssedness of timely charity in helping
men to bridge over a temporary trouble
superinduced by a general depression OF
business. The unfortunate man re-
CURED only $3.50 to square up with the
creditors who were pressing him, daily,
no doubt, and driving him to despair
and desperation; but il was impossible
for him to raise this sum, and he thought
IL useless to prOlOng the struggle. He
was wrong; but before we condemn his
rash act, let us put ourselves in his
place and try 10 conceive the effects of
his despair and desperation on a mind
already suffering from terrible strain.
Is the blood OF this unfortunate man
upon any of those who survive him, and
who could have lent him assistance
Timely charity would have kept him
from suicide; and, in the coming years,
he might have grown to be prosper
GUS. Want Of charity may almost
amount to the guilt of murder just ~
a man, that should stand by, unconcern-
cerned and let fellow creature drown,
when he could save him, without risk,
would be morally guilty of murder.
Are there any men and women that
are unable to recall any 'acts of kid
ness and love" performed by them.
do not envy them their state of mind
nor their csllous selishness, and insen-
sibility TO human-want what use
fulness can they boast of? They
are no more useful than the lichen
on the rock Ii is to be feared, that
many never put themselves TO the trou-
BILE OF even considering the duty of do
ing "acts Of kidness and love"-they are
wrapped up wholly in themselves and
| Indifferent to all around them.
Ii Is in this connection superfOus to
remark that without charity. no per-
son can be a Christian in spirit and truth
and that orthodoxy of creed and moral
ty can not be accepted rs substitutes for
charity. The scriptures constitute the
chart and compass for professed Christ.
ians to steer their course by-they have
pledged themselves in the most solemn
manner possible, to steer by the scrip
lures and to perform the duties therein
enjoined upon them, and they have no
assurance Of Gods acceptance of them,
unless they ZealOusly perform these du-
ties. Charity 10 everywhere urged, incul-
Gated and enjoincd with peculiar empha-
sis. st. Paul makes Ii an indispensable
trait OF the Christian character.
Morality itself requires men to be on
the alert to relieve suifering-succOr